3.1 Hardware

The hardware topic deals with a computer system consisting of input devices, output devices, a central processing unit and storage. ITGS students are required to understand the meaning of the terms and concepts listed here and, where appropriate, briefly describe how they work.

The increasing tendency to develop hardware in modular units raises a range of social impacts and ethical issues such as the use of non-renewable natural resources, the global transportation of manufactured components and their eventual disposal by individuals, organizations and governments. Students are expected to discuss possible solutions and evaluate their effectiveness.

Possible scenarios to address:
A computer user is planning to upgrade their current computer system to a newer model and must use their knowledge to

understand the specifications of the proposed new system
evaluate other physical considerations that may influence the choice of the physical environment of the proposed new system, such as ergonomics and other health-related issues
suggest upgrades to the computer system to take advantage of improvements in components, such as processing speed
describe how the proper disposal of the old computer system can take place and whether the choice
of computer may be affected by the manufacturer’s policies on disposal

The computer system key terms:

Types of computers: personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop, desktop computer
MAC address
Motherboard
Central processing unit (CPU), microprocessor, clock speed: for example, megahertz (MHz), gigahertz
(GHz), terahertz (THz)
Primary storage: read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM)
Secondary storage: optical, magnetic, flash memory: for example, USB (universal serial bus) flash drive
Bit, byte, kilobyte (KB), megabyte (MB), gigabyte (GB), terabyte (TB), petabyte (PB), exabyte (EB), zettabyte (ZB), yottabyte (YB)
Character encoding: ASCII (Unicode and American Standard Code for Information Interchange)
Ports

Input and output devices key terms:

Keyboards, mice, touch pads
Optical mark recognition (OMR), optical character recognition (OCR), magnetic ink character
recognition (MICR), radio frequency identification (RFID), radio tag, bar code scanners, magnetic stripe readers
Microphones
Smart card readers
Webcams, digital cameras, digital video cameras
Sensors, probes, real-time data collection
Composite devices: for example, game controllers
Touch-sensitive devices: for example, pads
Printers, monitors, speakers, projectors
CD-ROM (compact disc read-only memory), DVD (digital versatile/video disk) readers and burners

Learning Goals
DESCRIBE the available types of computer.
DESCRIBE common input, output, and storage devices.
DESCRIBE the role of the main computer components.
Use the correct units to DESCRIBE the specifications of a computer.
EXPLAIN how a computer's specification affects its performance and use.
IDENTIFY a suitably specified computer based on a user's needs.
EXPLAIN how data is stored inside a computer.

Learning Resources
ITGS 3.1 Key Terms
http://itgsopedia.wikispaces.com/3.1+Hardware
http://www.itgstextbook.com/chapter2-hardware.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore's_law
CS 101 Stanford University Introduction to Hardware

Required Reading
Information Technology in a Global Society, Stuart Gray. 1st Edition. © 2012 Stuart Gray. ISBN 9781468023619. Pages 14-39.
This textbook has been developed independently of the International Baccalaureate ® This book was written specifically for the ITGS course, covering technical systems, social impacts and ethical issues, and each area of application.

Digital Planet: Tomorrow’s Technology And You, George and Ben Beekman. 10th Edition. © 2012 Pearson Education. ISBN 9780132091251. Pages 36-60.
This book explains how various technologies work, how they are used to solve problems and extend human capabilities, and how our ever-growing network of digital devices affect our lives, our world, and our future.

Learning Activities
3.1A Introduction to Hardware
GUIDED LEARNING ACTIVITIES
>>>Watch CS 101 Stanford University Introduction to Hardware
>>>Complete 3.1A as directed on the 3.1A template. Save as 3.1A Your Last Name. Submit via Edmodo (3.1A). Due Thursday. [33 marks].

HOMEWORK LEARNING ACTIVITIES
>>>Study ITGS Chapter 2: Hardware on pages 13-41.
>>>Tag 3 recent articles relating to Strand 3.1 with the 3.1_hardware global tag [12 marks].

3.1B Hardware
GUIDED LEARNING ACTIVITIES
>>>Complete BBC Bitesize Learner guides for input, processing, and output devices AND hardware. Complete revise, activity, and test for each respective guide. Submit links to screenshots showing your test results (use Jing) when you are finished via Edmodo 3.1B. [16 marks].

HOMEWORK LEARNING ACTIVITIES
>>>Begin studying for the 3.1 Key Terms test. Test is next Monday during class.

3.1C Group Presentation
GUIDED LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
>>>>Study ITGS pages 138 and 139 (Tips for effective presentations)
>>>CONSTRUCT a linear presentation using Google Slides. Use Chapter 2 of the ITGS textbook, the ITGS textbook website, and the ITGSopedia 3.1 Hardware wiki page a as resources to guide your presentation. Name the presentation as HHS ITGS 3.1 Hardware.
>>>Timeframe: 2 class periods.

Requirements:

Bold ITGS Key Terms throughout the presentation.
Select an appropriate theme. Include transitions appropriately.
Use CC search to find appropriate graphics and multimedia to enhance content. Use graphics and multimedia that detail how the technology works so that we can revisit the presentation to successfully prepare for the IB assessments.
Use Easybib to cite sources appropriately.

Topics:

Hardware (pages 14-18)
Input Devices (pages 19-27)
Output Devices (pages 27-29)
Processor Technology (pages 30-31)
Storage Devices (pages 32-35)
Storing Data: Bits and Bytes (pages 36-37)
Failover Systems (page 38)
Ports and Connectors (page 39)

Marking Scheme
Presentation Content: 12/12
ITGS Key Terms used and bolded throughout: 6/6
Sources Cited Appropriately: 6/6
Total Marks Possible: 24/24

Grade 12. ONE team.
Jalen is the project manager for this group project. The project manager is responsible for the overall progress of the project, ensuring that it stays on time and meets all of the aforementioned requirements. The project manager will:

create the presentation and share it with everyone
assign roles for each team member
ensure that all of the aforementioned requirements are being met

Team Jalen: Desi, Liz, Abdullah, Yousuf, Sydney, Katrina, Kyle, Tyler, Elliot, Morgan

Grade 11. THREE teams.
Hala, Nick, and Nicole are the project managers for this group project. The project managers are responsible for the overall progress of the project, ensuring that it stays on time and meets all of the aforementioned requirements. The project manager will: